Slasher with interchangeable press rolls



Jan. 5, 1954 w. w. SMITH ErAL SLASHER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PRESS ROLLS 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1952 m n 6% W INVENTORS WALDO W4 SMITH WISA. PRESCOTT,Jr. BY

W. W. SMITH ET AL SLASHER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PRESS ROLLS Jan. 5, 19544 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1952 IN V ENJ'ORS r H Y T M S ME M SR Tw M %B m 1954 w. w. SMITH ETAL 2,664,616

SLASHER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PRESS ROLLS Filed Oct. 25, 1952 4Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS WALDO W. SMITH B L IS A. PRES OT T,Jr.

;TTORNE n- 1954 w. w. SMITH ET AL SLASHER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PRESSROLLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 23, 1952 IN VEN TORS WALDO W. SMITH ISA. PRESCOTT,Jr.

A7-ORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1954 SLASHER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PRESS ROLLSWaldo W. Smith, Warwick Neck, and Lewis A. Prescott, Jr., Pawtucket, R.1., assignors to Tower Iron Works, Providence, R. 1., a partnershipApplication October 23, 1952, Serial No. 316,364

Claims.

In the manufacture of woven fabric, it is usually necessary to size thewarp yarns preparatory to weaving and to this end from several hundredto several thousand yarns, disposed in contiguous parallel relation, arepassed through an apparatus known as a slasher which applies to theyarns a protective coating of a size enabling them better to withstandthe abrasive action of the filler yarns during the weaving operation.Such a protective coating must be uniformly applied and in order toavoid breakage the yarns must not be permitted to become crossed orentangled. In carrying out the slashing operation, the yarns, afterpassing over carrier rolls and beneath a tensioning rod or the like, arefirst immersed in the size slurry by a dip roll and then carried betweentwo pairs of squeeze rolls, consisting of an upper press roll and alower fixed roll.

It has'been found that in order to insure the desired uniform coatingthe covering on the rear press roll should be relatively firm andnap-free, and both press rolls should be supported so that they exert auniform pressure on all yarns. To this end it is the practiceperiodically to wind on the front press roll a few layers of yarn andafter operating for a day or so, during which time the nap has becomeworn with consequent loss of some resiliency, the front press roll isinterchanged with the rear roll which is then wound with a few morelayers of yarn. In this way the surface of the rear press roll isperiodically replaced so that it remains relatively resilient andnap-free.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a slasherhaving an efficient and reliable means whereby the press rolls may notonly be interchanged so as to permit the aforementioned operations to bereadily performed, but also supported at all times so as to exert auniform pressure on the yarns.

Further objects will be apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a slasher constructed in accordance withthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with certain parts removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section, with certain parts removed,substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the manner in whichthe press rolls are interchanged;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of one end of the apparatus taken on theline 5-5 of Fig.1;

2 Fig. 6 is a similar section on the line '6-6 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation illustrating the manner in which theyarns are immersed in the size slurry.

In accordance with the present invention a slasher or size box isequipped with a pair of relatively fixed horizontal rolls cooperatingwith a pair of press rolls disposed in superposed parallel relation, thepress rolls being supported by means whereby they may be interchanged.Such means comprises a vertically movable supporting member disposed onopposite sides of the size box and equidistant from the axes of thepress rolls, and pivotally connected to or mounted on each supportingmember is one end of a pair of oppositely extending arms, the oppositeor free end of each arm rotatably supporting one end of one of the pressrolls the construction and arrangement of parts being such that thecorresponding arms on each side of the size box provide a floatingsupport for the associated'press r011 independently of the other pressroll which is similarly supported.

The fixed end of one of each pair of arms is provided with an extensionjuxtaposed to the other arm, and a locking pin or other suitable meansare provided for releasably interlocking the arms together so that eachpair of arms may, act as a rigid unit supporting the press rolls wheninterlocked. Any suitable mechanism may be provided for elevating andlowering the support-' ing members so that the press rolls may first beelevated a distance above the fixed rolls sufficient to permit theinterlocked arm and press rolls to be rotated andthen lowered intooperative relation to the fixed rolls. The surface of the front pressrollsmay then be periodically renewed and after a period of use thefront press roll may be quickly interchanged with the rear press rollwhich then becomes the front press roll and may have its surfacerenewed. Where, it is desired to subject the yarns under treatment to agreater pressure than that afforded by the weight of the pressrolls,they may be weighted or loaded in any conventional manner, as forexample, by a fluid motor detachably connected to each arm.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment herein shown for the purposeof illustration comprises a rectangular frame structure having uprightmembers I, supporting side and horizontal members 2 and 3, within whichis a jacketed size box 5'havingside and end walls 6 and l. The sidemembers 2 carry pillow blocks l0 and II in which the ends of the frontand rear fixed rolls l4 and I5 are journaled, the construction andarrangement of parts being such that the underside of these rolls dipinto the size box a distance of the order of one-half the radius of theroll.

Mountedon each of the side members 2 between the pillow blocks Ill and His a pair of spaced bearings [8 providing vertical guides for a post 20,the lower end of which terminates below the: horizontal frame member 3,and mounted on the upper end of each post is a rod eye ZZ'for supporting one end of a horizontal shaft 2% extending across and above the sizebox 5. Adjacent toeach end of the shaft 24, is a pair of arms consistingof an arm having a. forkedor abifurc'ated end portion pivetally mountedon the shaft 26 so that its forked ends project beyond the shaft to provide integral extensions 26, and an arm 2'Bone end of which is mountedon the shaft 2 isbetween the forked ends of the arm 25, as illustratedmore clearly'in Figs. 2 and 3. The arm 23. and juxtaposed extensions 25are provided with aligned openings to receive a removable locking pin bymeans of which the armsmay be interlocked so as to act as a rigid unit.

The opposite or free ends of the arms carry bearings 32 inwhich the endsof the press rolls 34 and 35 are journaled, the construction andarrangement of parts being such that the axes of the press rolls areequidistant from theaxis of the shaft 24 and the same is true withrespect to the fixed rolls I4 and I5 so that either press roll may besupported in superposed parallel relationtoeither fixed roll. The outerend of each arm is provided with a lug 36 which maybe a tached by pin 31to a clevis 38 carried by the upper end of a pressure rod 49 connectedto a conventional fluid motor 42 which is supported in any suitablemanner with the frame. The application of a predetermined fluid pressureto the motors 42 produces the desired loading on the-press rolls andpreparatory to interchanging the press rolls, the clevis pins 3'! areremoved. thereby disconnecting the pressure rods from the arms 34 and35.

The lower end portion of each post 29 carries a rack 44 which mesheswith a spur gear 45 (Fig. 8) keyed to a shaft 46 which is journaled inbearings 4'! and 48 mounted on the horizontal frame member 3 (Fig. 1).the shaft 46 and meshes with a worm 52 keyed to a shaft 54 which extendsacross the machine beneath the size box 5. The end portions of theshaft. 54 are rotatably supported in depending hangers 55 secured to theopposite side members, each end of the shaft projecting outwardly beyondthe frame and carrying a handwheel 55. Rotation of the handwheel 58 in acounterclockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 1, acts through the wormand gears to elevate the post 20 from retracted position (Fig. 1),wherein the press rolls arein contact with the fixed rolls, to anelevated position (Fig. 4), wherein the arms and press rolls are. raisedsufficiently above the fixed rolls to permit them to be rotated.

Mounted on each inner face of the side members 3 is a gear housing 60(Fig. 5) which includes a vertical guide 6| for a rack rod 62, the upperend of which carries an inverted L-shaped bracket 64. The upper part ofthis bracket has an opening to receive one end of a reverse roll and thelower end of the bracket carries a nylon. bearing 66 in which isjournaled one end of. an immersion roll 68, the construction andarrangement of parts being such that theunder A worm gear 5%} is keyedto part of the immersion roll 68 is below the normal level L of the sizewithin the box 5, as shown in Fig. l. The rack rod 62 meshes with a spurgear 10 keyed to a shaft 12, one end of which is journaled within thegear housing 60. The opposite" end of the shaft: 12 extends forwardlyand is journaledin bearing" members 14. (Fig. 1) mounted on forwardextension 2a of the side member 2. The front end of shaft 12 carries aworm gear 15 (Fig. 6) which meshes with a worm l6 keyed to haftl!extending across the front end of the machine with its opposite endsjournaled in bearing 'ls secured to the outer faces of the sideextension 2a. A handwheel is keyed to each end of the shaft 11 so thatrotation of the handwheel in one direction or another raises or lowersboth the reverse roll 65 and dip orimmersion roll 68.

Mounted on the upper part of each side extension 2a, is an upstandingframe member 84 (Figs. 1 and 2) and secured to the front and rear facesof the member are bearings 85 and 86 which rotatably. support carrierrolls 8.! and 88. Mounted on the-inner part of each frame member 84 isaforwardly extending arcuate bracket 9H on which one-end of an invertedU-shaped supporting rod 92' is pivotally mounted. Theopposite end of therod- 92. extends inwardly and downwardly, and carries one'end of atension rod 36 which extends horizontally across the machine betweenthecarrier rolls to the companion supporting rod onthe opposite side.Since the supporting rods are pivotally mounted-in brackets at, thetension rod 94 isfree to float so that its weight is effective totension yarn. Y (Fig. 1.) passing from one carrier-roll to the other.

A summary of the operation of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming thatthe parts are as shown in'Fig. 1, that-box 5 contains a size slurry tothe level L and'that the motors 42 are set to apply the desired'load onthe press rollswarp yarns Y drawn from creels in conventional mannerpass-over carrier roll 81, under tension rod 94, over carrier roll 82,after which the yarns pass directly to the reverse roll 65, rather thandirectly to the immersion roll 68. The reverse roll 65' functions totransfer the yarns Y to the exposed face of the immersion roll 68, thatis, the upper surface of the roll, and in so doing the yarns are firmlysupported by the exposed surface of the immersion roll before beingsubjected-to'the turbulent action of the size slurry with the box 5.Hence, the danger of taping and rolling, due to the turbulence of thesize slurry, is effectively overcome and: the yarns, after being wetwith size, retain the desiredcontiguous, parallel relationship whenpresented to the squeeze rollsafter which they pass to the dryers inaccordance with the customary practice.

After having operated the apparatus for aday or so, the front pressroll, due to wear, loses its nap and resiliency; at least to'someextent, while the rear press roll is'likewise subjected to wear.Without: removing the leading or trailing. ends of the yarns,.asthecasemaybe, the press rolls may be quickly interchanged by firstremoving the clevis pins-3T to disconnect the motors 42 and applying thelocking pins 30-to interlock the arms, after which the handwheel 56 isrotated to-raise'the pressrolls to elevated position (Fig. a), therebypermitting the arms and press rolls to be manually rotated and thuseffect an interchange. The front roll may then be-wound withseverallayers'of yarns to renewits surface, while the rear roll(formerly the front roll) has, in effect, a renewed surface as comparedto the worn surface that existed before the interchange. Thereafter thepress rolls are lowered and, after connecting the arms with the motors42 and removing the locking pins 31, the slashing operation may becontinued.

While we have shown and described one desirable embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for thepurpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a size box, a pair of relatively fixed rolls horizontally disposedin spaced relation, a pair of press rolls horizontally disposed insuperposed parallel relation to said fixed rolls, and means forinterchanging said press rolls relative to said fixed rolls, comprisingtwo vertically movable supporting members disposed on opposite sides ofsaid size box and equidistant from the axes of said press rolls, a pairof oppositely extending arms pivotally connected at one end to each ofsaid supporting members with the opposite free end of each arm rotatablysupporting one end of one of said press rolls, the fixed end of one armof each pair having an. extension juxtaposed to the other arm, means forreleasably interlocking said extension and said other arm so that eachpair of arms act as a rigid unit in supporting said press rolls wheninterlocked, and means for elevating and lowering the supporting membersso as to raise said press rolls a distance above said fixed rolls topermit said press rolls and interlocked arms to be rotated 180 and thenlowered into operative relation to said fixed rolls.

2. In a size box, a pair of relatively fixed rolls horizontally disposedin spaced relation, a pair of press rolls horizontally disposed insuperposed parallel relation to said fixed rolls, and means forinterchanging said press rolls relative to said fixed rolls, comprisingtwo vertically movable supporting members disposed on opposite sides ofsaid size box and equidistant from the axes of said press rolls, a pairof oppositely extending arms for each of said supporting members, meanscarried by said supporting members for pivotally supporting the ends ofeach pair of oppositely extending arms so that the opposite free end ofeach arm rotatably supports one end of one of said press rolls, thefixed end of one arm of each pair having an extension juxtaposed to theother arm, means for releasably interlocking said extension and saidother arm so that each pair of arms act as a rigid unit in supportingsaid press rolls when interlocked, and means for elevating and loweringthe supporting members so as to raise said press rolls a distance abovesaid fixed rolls to permit said press rolls and interlocked arms to berotated 180 and then lowered into operative relation to said fixedrolls.

3. In a size box, a pair of relatively fixed rolls horizontally disposedin spaced relation, a pair of press rolls horizontally disposed insuperposed parallel relation to said fixed rolls, and means forinterchanging said press rolls relative to said fixed rolls, comprisingtwo vertically movable supporting members disposed on opposite sides ofsaid size box and equidistant from the axes of said press rolls, a shaftextending horizontally from one supporting member to the other, a pairof oppositely extending arms pivotally mounted on said shaft adjacent toeach end with the opposite free end of each arm rotatably supporting oneend of one of said press rolls, the fixed end of one arm of each pairhaving an extension juxtaposed to the other arm, means for releasablyinterlocking said extension and said other arm so that each pair of armsact as a rigid unit in supporting said press rolls when interlocked, andmeans for elevating and lowering the supporting members so as to raisesaid press rolls a distance above said fixed rolls to permit said pressrolls and interlocked arms to be rotated 180 and then lowered intooperative relation to said fixed rolls.

4. In a size box, a pair of relatively fixed rolls horizontally disposedin spaced relation, a pair of press rolls horizontally disposed insuperposed parallel relation to said fixed rolls, and means forinterchanging said press rolls relative to said fixed rolls, comprisingupstanding posts at opposite sides of the size box, means guiding saidposts for vertical movement relative to said fixed rolls, a pair ofoppositely extending arms pivotally mounted at one end to the upper partof each post, the opposite free end of each arm rotatably supporting oneend of one of said press rolls, the fixed end of one arm of each pairhaving an extension juxtaposed to the other arm, means for releasablyinterlocking said extension and other arm so that each pair of arms actas a rigid unit in supporting said press rolls when interlocked, andmeans for elevating and lowering said posts so as to raise said pressrolls a distance above said fixed rolls to permit said press rolls andinterlocked arms to be rotated 180 and then lowered into operativerelation to said fixed rolls.

5. In a size box, a pair of relatively fixed rolls horizontally disposedin spaced relation, a pair of press rolls horizontally disposed insuperposed parallel relation to said fixed rolls, and means forinterchanging said press rolls relative to said fixed rolls, comprisingupstanding posts at opposite sides of the size box, means guiding saidposts for vertical movement relative to said fixed rolls, a shaftextending horizontally from the upper part of one post to the upper partof the other post, two pairs of oppositely extending arms pivotallymounted on said shaft adjacent to each end with the opposite free end ofeach arm rotatably supporting one end of one of said press rolls, thefixed end of one arm of each pair having an extension juxtaposed to theother arm, means for releasably interlocking said extension and saidother arm so that each pair of I arms act as a rigid unit in supportingsaid press References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Name Date McGann May 10, 1927 Number

